Cap with removable stiffener elements



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1962 ilk ATTORNEYS May 19, 1964 F. K. LIPSCHULTZ 3, 33,289 CAP WITH REMOVABLE STIFFENER ELEMENTS Filed July 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FRANK K. LIPSCHUTZ iku ATTORNEYS United States Patent CAP WITH REMGVAELE STIFFENER ELEMENTS Frank K. Lipschutz, M45 Tanglewood Trail, Anchorage, Ky.

Filed July 26, 1962, Ser. No. 212,514 4 Claims. (Cl. 2-495) This invention relates generally to caps, but has reference more particularly to caps of the baseball type.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide stiffening material for the crown portions of such caps, for the purpose of preserving the form or shape of such crown portions, but in virtually all cases, the stiffening material is permanently secured to or built into the crown portions.

As a result, when the caps are frequently laundered, the stiffening material becomes permanently distorted or deformed or creased.

The present invention has as its primary object the provision of a cap of the character described, in which stiffener elements are employed, which are removably secured to the cap, so that they may be quickly and easily removed, prior to laundering of the cap, and as quickly and easily reinserted in the cap, after the cap has been laundered.

Another object of the invention is to provide stiffener elements formed of reticulated or perforated plastic materials which are flexible, but relatively rigid or stiff, as compared with the cloth or fabric of which the crown portion of the cap is conventionally made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap of the character described, having novel sockets or receptacles for the stiffener elements.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cap embodying one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the cap, as seen from the interior of the cap looking toward the visor;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of one of the stiffening elements used in the cap of FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive;

FIG. 6 is a View similar to FIG. 4, but showing a modification of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the stiffener element used in the cap of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a stiffener element constituting another modification of the invention.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive, there is disclosed, by way of example, a cap of the baseball type, comprising a visor, generally designated by reference numeral 1, and a crown or crown portion, generally designated by reference numeral 2.

The crown 2 consists of a series of triangular segments 3, formed of cloth or fabric and provided at their side edges with hems 4, which are covered on the inside of the cap by means of fabric tapes 5, which are sewn to the hems 4 and segments 3 by lines of stitching, indicated by reference numeral 6.

Additional triangular segments 7 and 8, of cloth or fabric similar to the cloth or fabric of which the segments 3 are composed, are provided immediately to the rear of the two segments 3 which are disposed immediately to the rear of the visor 1, as best shown in FIG. 3, and are provided at their side edges with hems 9, which are secured to the segments 3, hems 4 and tapes 5 by the lines of stitching 6.

3,133,289 Patented May 19, 1964 The vistor 1 is sewn to the lower edges of the segments 3, 7 and 8 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, as by a line of stitching S, and a sweat band 10 is provided, which, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, is sewn to the visor 1 and to the lower edges of the segments 3, 7 and 8, as by the same line of stitching S.

The spaces between the front segments 3 and the segments 7 and 8 provide pockets for a purpose to be presently described, and access to which is afforded by slitting the segments 7 and 8 transversely to provide access openings 11, as best shown in FIG. 2.

A cap, as thus described, but Without the segments 7 and 8, is worn by men in the armed services, and occasionally has stiffening material permanently secured to or built into the crown portion of the cap, in order to preserve the form or shape of the crown. Since the cap requires frequent laundering, the stiffening material, in such cases, becomes permanently distorted or deformed or creased, as a result of the laundering.

In order to enable the cap to be laundered as often as desired, without damage or injury to the stiffening material, I provide stiffener elements, such as the element 12 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which elements are preferably formed from a reticulated or perforated plastic material, which is flexible, but is relatively rigid or stiff, as compared with the cloth. or fabric of which the crown portion of the cap is made.

The elements 12 are made in the form of triangular segments similar in size and shape to the segments 3, 7 and 8, and are preferably bound at the edges, as by means of a binding or tape 13.

The stifiener elements 12 are inserted into the pockets formed between the segments 3 and the segments 7 and 8, as by introducing them into these pockets through the openings or slits 11. Such insertion is greatly facilitated, due to the triangular shape of the stiffener elements, since the upper apices of the elements can be easily inserted or slipped through the slits.

The stiffener elements, as thus inserted, and as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, are highly effective to preserve the form or shape of the crown portion of the cap, even after repeated laundering of the cap.

When the cap is to be laundred, the stiffener elements 12 are slipped out of their pockets, so that the cap can be laundered without damage or injury to the stiffener elements. After the cap is laundered, the stiffener elements can be quickly and easily reinserted into the cap.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings, a modification of the invention is shown, in which the cap is similar in construction to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, but in which, instead of utilizing separate or individual stiffener elements, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a single stiffener element consisting of triangular shaped portions 12 is provided, the base portions of which are connected to each other, as by a bridging or connecting portion 14. The stiffener element, in this case, is inserted into the pockets between the segments 3 and the segments 7 and 8, in the manner shown in FIG. 6.

Due, however, to the provision of the bridging or connecting portion of the stiffener element, the portions of the segments 7 and 8 which are below the slits or openings 11 in FIG. 2, may be omitted, and the lower edges 15 of the segments 7 and 8 are left unattached to the panels 3, as apparent in FIG. 6. It will be understood that the segments 7 and 8, in such case, are of shorter heighth than the segments 3.

In FIG. 8, a modification of the invention is shown, in which a stiffener element is employed, which stiffens the entire crown of the cap. The stiffener, in this case, consists of six triangular segments 12", similar in shape or form to the stiffener 12 of FIG. 5, but the base portions of which are bridged or connected to each other by means amazes of bridging portions 14', similar to the portion 14 in FIGS. 6 and 7. It is to be understood that the one piece stitfener element of FIG. 8 is of dome-like shape, similar to the shape of the crown 2 of the cap in FIG. 1, and that when such a stiffener element is used, all of the segments of the crown of the cap are provided with segments similar to the segments '7 and 8 of FIG. 6, to form pockets for removably receiving the portions 12" of the stiffener elenrent, in the manner shown in FIG. 6.

It is to be understood that the segments 7 and 8 need not be of the precise triangular conformation shown in FIG. 6, but may be of somewhat different shape, as long as pockets of appreciable depth are formed to receive and train the stififener elements. For example, substantial portions of the lower parts of the segments 7 and 8 in FIG. 6 may be removed, while preserving pockets of sufficient depth to receive the stiffener elements.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of the inven tion or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a cap of the character described having a visor and a dome-shaped crown comprising a plurality of triangular-shaped segments secured in juxtaposition with each other at their side edges, said segments having apex portions which meet at substantially the center of said crown, additional segments of substantially triangular conformation disposed interiorly of said crown and having side edges secured to said crown adjacent the side edges of said first-named segments, said second-named segments having transverse portions thereof adjacent their bases which are unsecured to said crown whereby to provide transverse openings for access into the spaces or pockets between the first and second-named segments, and stiffener elements of triangular-shaped conformation insertable into said spaces or pockets through said openings by introduction of the apex portions of the stiffener elements into said openings, said stiffener elements being removably secured in said pockets or openings, and being removable through said openings, when the cap is to be laundered.

2. A cap, as defined in claim 1, in which said secondnamed segments are secured at their bases to the crown adjacent the bases of said first-named segments, and said second-named segments are provided with slits spaced from and parallel with the bases of the second-named segments for introduction of said stiffener elements through said slits and into said spaces or pockets.

3. A cap, as defined in claim 1, in which said secondnamed segments terminate in base edges spaced vertically from the bases of said first-named segments and which are left unsecured to said crown, whereby said stifliener elements are introduced into said spaces or pockets through the openings formed between the first-named segments and the base edges of said second-named segments.

4. A cap, as defined in claim 1, in which the stifiener element comprises at least two elements of triangular conformation, which are integrally connected with each other at adjacent corners of their bases.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,198,170 Vokes Sept. 12, 1916 1,598,379 Kerr Aug. 31, 1926 2,599,636 Hull June 10, 1952 2,870,450 Bailey Jan. 27, 1959 3,039,113 Lipshutz June 19, 1962 

1. IN A CAP OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED HAVING A VISOR AND A DOME-SHAPED CROWN COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF TRIANGULAR-SHAPED SEGMENTS SECURED IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH EACH OTHER AT THEIR SIDE EDGES, SAID SEGMENTS HAVING APEX PORTIONS WHICH MEET AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTER OF SAID CROWN, ADDITIONAL SEGMENTS OF SUBTANTIALLY TRIANGULAR CONFORMATION DISPOSED INTERIORLY OF SAID CROWN AND HAVING SIDE EDGES SECURED TO SAID CROWN ADJACENT THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID FIRST-NAMED SEGMENTS, SAID SECOND-NAMED SEGMENTS HAVING TRANSVERSE PORTIONS THEREOF ADJACENT THEIR BASES WHICH ARE UNSECURED TO SAID CROWN WHEREBY TO PROVIDE TRANSVERSE OPENINGS FOR ACCESS INTO THE SPACES OR POCKETS BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND-NAMED SEGMENTS, AND STIFFENER ELEMENTS OF TRIANGULAR-SHAPED CONFORMATION INSERTABLE INTO SAID SPACES OR POCKETS THROUGH SAID OPENINGS BY INTRODUCTION OF THE APEX PORTIONS OF THE STIFFENER ELEMENTS INTO SAID OPENINGS, SAID STIFFENER ELEMENTS BEING REMOVABLY SECURED IN SAID POCKETS OR OPENINGS, AND BEING REMOVABLE THROUGH SAID OPENINGS, WHEN THE CAP IS TO BE LAUNDERED. 